1. Shahadah – CREED, one god Allah and Muhammad is his messanger – all beliefs flow from it – no pictures of ALLAH, 99 names ( merciful, all powerful…) diet – halal or lawful food= slaughter in the name of Allah, no blood eaten, no pigs, do not use silver or gold plates, wash and give thanks to Allah before eating

Festival after Hajj – Eid el Adha ( sacrifice goat like Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Ishmael ( Hagar his mother) to show his love for Allah

Ka’bah ( in Mecca Great Mosque, Saudi Arabia) means house of God, first house on earth built by Adam destroyed by Great Flood, Rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael, Abraham given black stone given by angel Gabriel – corner of Ka’bal

Abraham - Muslims claim Abraham a Muslim, Arabs descendants of Abraham, Jews descendent of Issac, 7th century forgot about Allah but forgot used to worship idols

• Beliefs- Allah one God, treat all people as equal, Allah will reward you for your good actions

• Uncle protected him, then died, wife died

• The night journey – Mi’raj 620CE Angel Gabriel took

• Hijrah ( start of Islamic calendar 622AD) Departure from Mecca to Medina persecuted risk of being murdered– in Medina Muhammad accepted converted to Islam, 1st Mosque, n=battle between people from Mecca and Muslims Muhammad and Muslims won, Muhammad went to kaaba and tore down

Quran – sacred text in Arabic, word of Allah, means to read, revealed to Muhammad, cannot be changed, not historical facts, oral to written tradition Muhammad got scribes to write down, chapters are called suras, in schools is learnt by heart, person recite the Quran by heart called Hafiz.

Rites of Passage -

Birth – Adhan whispers call to prayer in baby’s right ear, honey in month for a sweet life, 7 days after Aquiqah – baby named where baby’s hair is shaved, weight of hair in gold given to the poor, sacrifice animal for thanks

Marriage – religious duty to marry and have children, arranged marriages unlawful, dowry ( symbol of who valuable she is ), marriage contract, wedding feast, divorcee last resort- free to remarry but unusual

Death – death approach Shahadah is repeated last words, soul carried buy and angel to Allah where one is judged good and bad deeds, heaven or hell, body prepared – wudu wrapped in white clothes, buried on right side pointing right towards Mecca

Development of Islam /Islamic tradition

§ 632AD Muhammad died, Islam in central and southern Arabia

§ Abu Bakr Muhammad’s father in law chosen as Caliph ( deputy of Prophet)

§ Omar successor but assassinated

§ Uthmann successor but murdered

§ war about who would succeed – Ali ( Muhammad’s son in law) or Muawiya ( governor of Syria)

§ Ali followers – Shi’ites

§ Muawiya – Sunnis

§ Christian crusaders attacked and murdered the Muslims 10th century

Higher level – tradition, faith and practice today

2nd largest religion (1200 million approx.) and fast growing religion in the world

Religious law – Shar’ia law is the law of the country e.g. Iran Iraq, Pakistan,

Schism – branches of Islam

§ Shi’ites- follow bloodline Ali, only 10% not wealthy, many persecuted in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, one infallible Imam for each generation – e.g. Iran homeland of the Shias – 1979 Ayatollahs – Islamic state, strict religious laws and police, Syria President Assad is Shitie and murdering the Sunnis today

§ Sunnis-orthodox Muslims authority from the Sunnah- words and actions of Muhammad, follow the Caliphs, make up 90% of all Muslims, standardised doctrines of Islam , Saudi Arabia is Sunnai

§ Sufis – person express their love of Allah in their own way – dervish – music and dance

Islamic fundamentalism and Islam’s response to terrorismIslamic Fundamentalism aims to set up a state whose laws and government are based on Islamci /Shar’ia Law e.g. Taliban in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran.Jihad- HolyWar – struggle to follwot he way of AllahISLAM DOES NOT PERMIT TERROISM OR SUICIDE – AGAINST WHAT ALLAH SAYS IN THE QURANKILLING FORBIDDEN

Islam in Ireland

1950s the first Muslim doctors students study at the college of surgeons